The Beginning of the Affair
by Hermonthis
Summary: Marlene-centric. “The apple is the forbidden fruit of the lovers, to pick the best one from a young tree is a sin.”


Originally Written: January 14, 2004 (5:49 pm) Revised: June 11, 2004 (8:04 pm)  
  
- - - The Beginning of the Affair.  
  
She was just a memory, after all.  
  
Marlene was young. She was innocent, naïve, and as many called her, exceptionally beautiful. She lived in a palace, one of the many benefits that her father's hard-work. He had been a trading merchant fortune granted him the kingdom of Asturia.  
  
And she was a princess, a living representation of a little girl's dream with long blonde hair, piercingly blue eyes, and a voice that could rival the Muses of the Heavens above.  
  
But the eldest daughter lacked one thing. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she knew that it was there. At times it would nag at her ceaselessly. On other days it disappeared like the fog in the morn. The young lady soon forgot about it, it was nothing to be worried about, only a fleeting thought.  
  
Then, one day when her Uncle came to visit, he saw her sitting on a garden bench immersed in a book. A pretty lady enjoying the company of no one, her attitude was not taken very well by her father, but he had no quarrel with him.  
  
"Marlene, do you always stay inside the castle walls?" He pointed to the stone pavement and to the bench she sat upon. "Must you tease the poor suitors by hiding your lovely countenance?" He was a jovial man, occasionally accused for evaluating situations far lighter than they actually were and that was his fault.  
  
She smiled at his humor and gave him a tour of the interior courts, pointing out her favourite spots to sit quietly and read. Her Uncle followed her with interest; all of his nieces had their own air of mystery and one too many times, their father had complained about it. One day, he would discover Marlene's.  
  
"Ah, you have that look in your eyes again." He chided when they passed another gateway leading into another garden. He caught her looking at foliage of a certain variety.  
  
"What's in my eyes?" she asked.  
  
The balding man chucked merrily, feeling quite lighthearted. It was the apple tree her eyes fell upon, and the sapling was barely taller than himself. And for her knowledge, he was quite a short man, built like their father but slightly different in the way they each viewed the world. His brother may have the title of a king, but his heart was stale like a merchant's. He, on the other hand, had lived in comfortable luxury for the most part of his life. Having no children of his own, he spoiled his three nieces with shameless abandon. Which one was his favourite? He'd never tell.  
  
"Do you read often, Marlene?" She nodded, her attention wavering slightly.  
  
It would be unfair to compare the eldest to the youngest to the middle child. They were all different and yet there was a tie that would bind them all.  
  
"You do know that too much reading isn't healthy for a young woman of your stature. It makes the skin pale and the eyes dreamy." She caught the amusement in his voice but the literal meaning of his words was not lost upon her intellect.  
  
"What would you have me do. Uncle?"  
  
He gazed at the small fruits on the tree and plucked one directly from the branch.  
  
"Look, it's the forbidden fruit." He saw the confused look on her face. "Don't tell me you don't know about that story, my dear, with your constant reading." He continued genially.  
  
"The apple is the forbidden fruit of the lovers, to pick the best one from a young tree is a sin." He handed it to her and watched her lovely face form a frown.  
  
"But don't worry, it's only a myth, it can't really hurt you." He presented her the apple again and she took it from his hands, not entirely sure that he should have picked the fruit in the first place. He had to laugh, Marlene was just as cautious as her other sister, Eries.  
  
A pair of robins twittered overhead and her uncle was momentarily distracted by them, his mind occupied by some fleeting inspiration. Like a cloud, it was there but he couldn't grasp it. Oh, there it was, he remembered now. The elderly man didn't see his niece study the apple for imperfections before she bit into it. Delicious.  
  
"Have you anything planned tomorrow afternoon?"  
  
"My schedule is clear."  
  
"Good." He took one of her arms in a gentlemanly fashion, "Because we all know how hectic your days are, Marlene, always in the company of books, birds, and gardens, what a tiring life you lead for a princess." He smiled and continued speaking.  
  
"You're coming with me to see a dueling tournament. Your sister, Eries, will be busy with something, probably some errand for a friend, and your father wouldn't approve of me taking little Millernia to the games."  
  
"Is it too violent for my sister?" She didn't seem all too excited about the propect of it.  
  
"Not nearly enough, my dear. Conversely, I have heard rumours that this year will be exceptionally thrilling. A new knight has come around and they claim that his skill has not been seen in decades," he continued to explain more about the tournament but the rest of his speech only earned half of her interest.  
  
"Are you coming with me, then?" After weighing the benefits against the consequences, Marlene thought that it would be best if she pleased her Uncle while he was here visiting. After all, if she refused, she had her father's questioning to face and that wasn't exactly a pleasant thought.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
He beamed down at her. Although he was an avid spectator and sponsor for the games, his niece's appearance would bring more discussion in courts and hopefully, more interest in Marlene. The lady needed to spend more time outside of her home and he wished that tomorrow would bring a change to her life. After all, the princess was by far fairer to look at than a middle- aged and balding man.  
  
"That's my girl." They returned to the inner castle to visit little Millernia and if they were fortunate enough, catch a glimpse of Eries before she ran off again to who knows where.  
  
"Maybe I'll come to enjoy the games."  
  
"Marlene," he chided, "You'll fall in love with them."  
  
- - -  
  
The apple was bitten.  
  
The clock started to tick.  
  
It was the beginning of the affair. 


End file.
